A Speck On Our Souls
by abbyli
Summary: Everything has changed for Bonnie Bennett. She is no longer the anchor to the Other Side but she is still anchored to one soul. Damon Salvatore becomes trapped in the unknown and she is the only one that can see him or feel him.


**entitled: **a speck on our souls

**summary: **Bonnie Bennett knows everything is going to change now. Stefan is human and for some reason, exhibiting warlock powers. Caroline is barely holding on and Damon? Damon is stuck on what's left of the Other Side and she is the only one that can still see him and feel him. And having an irritating vampire popping up in her dreams isn't the most pleasant thing in the world. No matter how good looking he is.

**pairings/characters: **stefan/caroline, bonnie/damon, defan, stefonnie, bonenzo (friendship), vampire!matt (someplace)

**genre: **hurt/comfort/happiness

**rating: **t to a soft m

**disclaimer: **I do not own The Vampire Diaries or it's characters.

**warning: **This fic is anti-Elena!

**notes: **Okay, so I have been working on this idea for a while. Stefan was Silas' descendant and Silas was a warlock, correct? So there was definitely magic in his background. We don't know much about Stefan's other ancestors and all we know is that his father was a real douchebag. Witches are servants of nature, people that will protect at any cost. And Stefan was so young when he was turned that it is possible that he could have inherited the witchcraft gene but nothing had shown up yet.

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_**This is dedicated to the beautiful TracyLaurenCook for being such a wonderful cheerleader. And of course to the amazing Nisha (bonneibennett) and Faye (midnightstorm6593) for putting up with me for so long. Love you gals. **_

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* * *

_I chose suffering and pain in the falling rain_

_I know, I gotta get out into the world again_

_And now I will start living today, today_

_I close the door_

_I got this new beginning, and I will fly_

_**-'cannonball', lea michele**_

* * *

**P**assing through the downed girl isn't the most pleasant sensation. For the briefest of moments, he feels her agony, her pain. Mixing it with his own – now that's another story that he doesn't care to touch on.

And then he sees her smile. Her smile filled with so much relief and an absolute joy.

Something that shouldn't be reserved for him.

"No," he whispers. "No, no, no."

He ignores Elena's wail of grief, turning towards Bonnie.

She shakes her head at him, her own grief so evident in her green eyes.

"I'm sorry," she breathes. "So sorry."

"_Bonnie, you have to do something!" _Elena demands.

And for once, everyone ignores Elena.

Bonnie's eyes are on him and they are not moving.

She staggers slightly and Caroline catches her, holding her gently. Blood is starting to trickle out of her nose and spill down into her mouth.

"You're okay," Caroline whispers, keeping a firm around her waist. "It's okay."

At that moment, Bonnie lets out another yell of pain. The other three look up, expecting to see Damon and find Enzo standing in front of them.

"Ah, so nice to be back," Enzo smiles, turning on his heel. As soon as he sees what lays behind him, his face contorts from a smirk into a look of concern. "What's the matter?"

"Damon's not back," Caroline says as she gently sets Bonnie on her feet again.

Enzo tries to form a witting remark but the words don't pass his lips. Seeing the look on Stefan's face, the look of absolute worry and misery, and the stretch of agony on the little witch – that's enough.

"How are you?" he says softly to Bonnie. "Are you up to it?"

Caroline opens her mouth to protest but Bonnie nods.

"I can do this," she says again. She takes the hand that he offers her, and stands straight again.

Elena lets out a pitiful noise but no one pays her the slightest bit of attention.

Bonnie's eyes slide closed.

* * *

_She finds him running along the outskirts of the woods. Wind blows through his clothes and hair, showing off the piercing silver of his eyes. _

"_Damon!" she shouts. _

_Luckily he hears her and turns towards her. She sees a look of relief on his face that is not ordinarily reserved for her and a smile creases her lips. _

"_I just saw Lexi send Markkos into oblivion," he says to her as he jogs up. "She sent that son of a bitch into Oz." _

"_Well, that's good to hear," Bonnie says, holding out a hand. "And Lexi?" _

_And for once, Damon smiles. He truly smiles. _

"_She found peace, I think," he says. _

_Bonnie looks deep inside of her own soul and sees that he's right. She doesn't feel Lexi's foothold anymore. _

_At least now, maybe Stefan can find some peace. _

_Bonnie holds out a hand to Damon and he takes it. "Come on, we have to go!" _

_But as she touches him, something's not happening. _

_Not working. _

_Damon immediately notices it too. "What's the matter?" _

_What the hell…_

_Casting her mind out, Bonnie sees her own self still back in the land of the living. Her foothold there is much stronger than the one here. _

_And then it makes sense. _

_This was her Grams' plan. _

_When time ran out, she would be cast back into the world and whoever still hadn't passed through her was still stuck. _

"_Damon – " she says quickly. "Damon, it's – "_

_She doesn't even need to say it for Damon to understand. _

_He lets go of her hand and sighs, his face set in resignation. _

"_It's okay, Bonnie," he says gently. "Go back." _

_Bonnie shakes her head. "No. No, I am not going to leave you here!" _

_Damon chuckles half-heartedly. "Believe me, Bonnie, maybe this would be better for everyone." _

_He begins to walk backwards away from her, holding up his hands as if to fend her off even though she hasn't moved. _

"_Go back, Bonnie," he says. "Tell Elena …" But the words don't come out. He has no words for his girlfriend, for the girl that he had fought so hard to get over the past two years. He didn't feel anything. _

_What was this? _

_As the words die on his lips, his eyes dart up to hers. _

"_Tell Stefan I'm sorry," he breathes. _

_Bonnie nods. "I will." _

_The wind is picking up even faster, hitting Bonnie so hard that it almost moves her small body. _

"_Bonnie, go!" Damon yells. His voice mixes with the one belonging to her beloved Grams. "GO!" _

_His face is gone. All she can hear is his voice. _

_And all she can see is light. _

_Something pulls her backwards. Or maybe it's pushing her, she's not sure. _

_And then she's laying on her back on the hard ground in the woods. _

_~~~Ooo~~~  
_

"Bonnie!" Caroline practically yells in her ear. "Bonnie, are you okay?"

Someone's shaking her shoulder. She can hear the dull roar of blood pounding away in her head, as well as a nasty headache setting itself right above her eyes.

"Bonnie, what the -?"

Elena's weeping and still, no one is paying any attention to her.

She cracks one eye open and sees Caroline's worried face floating a few inches from hers. Her light blue eyes shimmer with exhaustion and pain and Bonnie finds herself just barely shaking her head.

"It didn't work," she whispers softly.

Caroline immediately nods. "Okay."

"So that's it?" comes another voice a few feet above.

Bonnie struggles to focus her eyes and she sighs. "That's it. It's closed."

"No!" Elena barks. "No, Bonnie, you fight!" the girl demands. "You can fight it and go back!"

Enzo's face is hard and he holds up a hand.

"Elena…shut up."

Elena opens her mouth to furiously reply but that is drowned out by another yell of pain. This time, coming from Stefan.

Enzo slips down to his knees to take Caroline's place beside Bonnie as Caroline flies towards the younger Salvatore. She catches him just as he begins to fall, clutching at his forehead in agony.

"Stefan!" Caroline yells. "Stefan, talk to me!"

Stefan lets out a groan of pain, blood spurting from his nostrils.

There is one thing that all the vampires pick up quite quickly. Even Elena stops her own moaning, her head rising and brown eyes wide as they stare at Stefan.

There's a second heartbeat in the clearing.

It starts off weak at first, like a tiny bird trying to stay up in the air as it flies for the first time. It's glorious beats begin it's rise into the air, becoming stronger by each beat.

"Oh, my god…" Bonnie whispers, her own pain forgotten. She lays rested in Enzo's lap, her green eyes wide. "His heart, Caroline," she murmurs.

Stefan chokes out a gasp. A true needed gasp and gulp of air. He greedily sucks in the cold night air, his whole form sagging against Caroline's legs. Her hands wrap around his shoulders, holding him up as he breathes for the first time in over a hundred and fifty years.

"What – is happening – to me?" Stefan gasps. "Caroline -?"

"I'm here," Caroline whispers, tears brimming in her eyes. "It's okay, I got you."

In the blink of an eye, Caroline has the older vampire gathered in her arms and they are both gone.

Elena rises up too and walks away, without one look back at the vampire and the witch. Not one single look.

Bonnie can't ignore the hurt that passes through her at that. It hurts even more than the thought of Damon stuck on the disappearing other side, more than having to say goodbye to her Grams again. Because with Elena walking away like that, walking away without one look back at her, or even Caroline and Stefan, that says a hell of a lot more than if she had screamed it.

"Come on, lass," Enzo murmurs in her ear. "Let's get you to a hospital."

She allows him to pick her up in his arms without a word, her arms looping around his neck.

"Rest," he breathes. "Your work is done."

_Oh, Enzo…_

_It's just beginning. _

* * *

He awakes on a gurney, covered by a warm blanket, in a very bright white room.

All he can see is the blinding overhead light above him. He raises a shaky hand to shield his eyes and sees an IV needle in the back of his wrist.

"What the-?" His other hand goes to pull it out and then a pair of much softer hands reach out, stopping him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," says Caroline.

His eyes focus even more and relief pools in his belly.

"Care -?"

Caroline's face comes into his line of vision and there is a gentle smile on her lips. "Hey there," she says. "How are you feeling?"

"Alive," he responds, allowing her to help him sit up slowly. "How long have I been out?"

"A few hours," Caroline says, sitting down by his feet on the edge of the bed. "You were barely conscious when I brought you in here."

Stefan rubs a palm into his tired eyes. "So what's the verdict?" he asks.

"The doctor says anemia and severe malnutrition. I didn't enlighten him to the fact you haven't eaten food in over a hundred years," she says with a weak attempt at humor.

Stefan rolls his eyes and immediately regrets it. Every part of his body is screaming at him in exhaustion and pain and he nearly sags against Caroline in an absolute defeat that really has nothing to do with his physical state.

Her arm snakes around his shoulder and she rests her chin on the top of his head.

"How's Bonnie?" he asks after several minutes. Caroline gently pulls away, allowing him to settle back.

"Enzo brought her in about ten minutes after you. She's all right," Caroline says. "The doctor is keeping her over night for observation too."

"Too?" Stefan repeats.

Caroline snaps her fingers. "Darn it, I knew I forgot to tell you something."

"Are you kidding? I can't stay here overnight."

"Stefan, for whatever reason that we will figure out later, you are a human. I don't know if this is temporary or not but you should get some rest, okay? Let the doctors take care of you."

As he opens his mouth to protest again, Caroline holds up a hand.

"I will have them restrain you to the bed if I have too."

For the first time in the last several hours, Stefan cracks a half smile.

It's very brief and very faint and very, very forced.

But it's there.

Without further argument, and with some help from Caroline, Stefan lays back in the bed. Like a mother hen, she adjusts the blankets around his form, catching his hand before she tries to pull away. But his other hand reaches out and takes hers.

"Stefan?" Caroline whispers, her eyes already moist with tears.

"Will you stay?" he says, his voice crackling under the strain.

And with no more words, Caroline slowly kicks off her boots and crawls up onto the bed beside him. Their hands link together, his now unneeded lapis lazuli glittering against hers in the bright light. Her other arm wraps around him and she is holding him like he is a child.

She feels his silent sobs wracking his body, his absolute agony and she wants to cry. But she doesn't.

She has to stay strong. She has to hold on because Stefan needs her.

* * *

_He's not sure how long he has been asleep. Maybe an hour, maybe a year. _

_He rises slowly out of bed, careful not to wake the girl beside him. _

_Not sure what really woke him, he begins to head for the door. But why? _

_The hallway lights begin to flash, sliding up to full power. He cocks his head to the side, watching this as if it were a mildly interesting movie. _

_Sighing, he slips out the door and closes it behind him. _

_Glancing down the long hallway, he doesn't see a soul. Which is odd. _

_The lights continues to flicker lightly. _

_He follows the pathway that they shine for him, watching curiously as the watts of electricity continue their dance of power and a new kind of light. _

_His fingertips are tingling. God, they feel like their on fire!_

_Twisting his hands so his nails are biting into his now tender palms, the lights stop. _

_What -? _

_And then – oh, god, and then – _

_He extends his hands out, palms up. _

_The lights begin their dance all over again. _

_Oh, god. _

_Oh, god…_

* * *

She awakes to the lights flickering.

"What the hell -?"

After some arguing and threatening, Bonnie had agreed to stay in the hospital overnight. She was actually grateful to give in because she knew she needed the rest. And, well, there was nothing for her at home.

She had talked to Caroline and gotten an update on Stefan. Despite being drained, he was alright. Bonnie couldn't help but wonder if the same thing would happen to him that had happened to Katherine.

She hoped not.

Holy hell, she hoped not.

Bonnie rolls over on her side and spies a dark haired man slumped in the chair, his normally perfectly coifed midnight hair spilling over his forehead. For a brief moment, Bonnie thinks it's Damon.

And then she realizes it's Enzo.

Wait a minute — what the hell is he doing here?

Bonnie watches the pale skinned vampire sleep for a few minutes, unneeded breathes bringing his chest up and down in a very peaceful rhythm.

Hm…

The lights flicker overhead once again.

Bonnie's eyes widen and she glances back over at Enzo. He sleeps on, noticing nothing.

Slowly and carefully, Bonnie pushes the covers off her legs and pulls herself up. She stops for a moment, expecting Enzo to spring awake but he continues to sleep. He is even snoring!

When her bare feet hit the cold floor, she gasps slightly. Ignoring the chill that goes right up her spine that has nothing to do with the freezing tiled floor, she pads to the ajar door and peeks out.

The hallway is completely empty and so black that she can't even see her hand in front of her face.

Which is weird because the lights usually go down to half power in the night time. She should know, she's been in enough hospitals in her too short of a lifetime.

With a hand against the wall to guide her and every instinct yelling at her to turn right around and go back to Enzo, Bonnie begins to slowly walk down the hallway.

To her surprise, she doesn't ram into carts or gurneys that usually litter the corridors. She walks as if she's floating, her eyes straight ahead.

And the lights begin again.

"What the hell?" she murmurs to herself.

As the lights flash one last time, she sees a silhouetted figure right at the end of the hallway. Sparks shine and burst from the fixture right over his head and for one desperate and horrified moment, Bonnie thinks that Silas has rose again.

A heartbeat later and she knows.

"Stefan?" she whispers, knowing he can hear her.

Stefan stares down at her, not really seeing. Bonnie's hand snaps out and closes around his wrist, almost pulling it away immediately.

She feels it. Oh, God, it's so strong, so amazing. A power that is so pure, like her Grams. A power that is unlike her own and then again, very similar in so many ways.

How can this be? How is this possible?

Bonnie's nails gently dig into his skin and suddenly, he's gazing at her like he has never seen anything quite like her before.

"Bonnie?"

Bonnie touches his other arm, her fingers linking themselves around his hand.

"I'm right here, Stefan," she says softly. "You're all right."

And at that moment, the man in front of her wasn't a centuries old Ripper who hated the mere thought of himself. He was a little boy. A boy barely on the brink of manhood who had lost everything just because he had allowed himself to fall in love.

"I don't know what's happening to me," he whispers.

Forcing back the sudden tears that form in her eyes, Bonnie manages the tiniest of smiles.

"I know."

* * *

**.**

**.**

**Kind of low on Bamon. They will be coming back in next chapter. Bonnie's not the anchor anymore. Not the Anchor to the full **_**Other Side **_**per se… think about it. Heehee. **

**Poor Stefan. He just can't catch a break. Losing his brother and Lexi all over again and now this? He's gonna need himself some Caroline and also Bonnie's guidance to work through this new obstacle. But will it last? **

**Reviews? Please? **


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